SHILLONG: High Court of Meghalaya Chief Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir has asserted that juveniles are the future of the country and if they can be shaped in the right perspective, they would contribute to society in a big way.
Addressing a one-day conference on “The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act organised by the Meghalaya State Judicial Academy at the Conference Hall of the high court here on Saturday, Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir said that a child is brought up in the society and social contact around him is bound to affect his behavior.
He also urged all the stakeholders, parents and society as a whole to be more vigilant to monitor feelings and behaviour of the child.
Stating that with the passage of time, many challenges came and accordingly laws were amended to cater to their need, he expressed concern over the fact that many children are now taking drugs.
Talking about reformation homes and de-addiction, he said that what was expected from them is not being done and children are put into a different atmosphere but he added that the court is mentoring the centres.
He also underlined the important role which every stakeholder has to play for bringing juveniles to the mainstream, adding that they should be given protection which they are entitled to.
Justice H S Thangkhiew, Judge, High Court of Meghalaya and Judge in-Charge, Meghalaya State Judicial Academy, B Mawrie, Registrar General, High Court of Meghalaya, M B Challam, Director, Meghalaya State Judicial Academy and Meena Kharkongor, Chairperson, State Commission for Protection of Child Rights among others were also present on the occasion.
The Conference saw attendance of members, Juvenile Justice Board, police officers, doctors, judicial officers, District Child Protection Officers, counselors of observation homes and other stakeholders.
The resource persons for the conference were Kharkongor, Miguel Queah, Executive Director, Utsah, Surendra Kumar, IGP, CID Assam Police and Bandarisha Kharlukhi, JMFC.
The daylong conference deliberated on the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which includes genesis and evolution of juvenile justice system in India, Juvenile Justice Act of 2015 and General Principles under UNCRC and Fundamental Principles under Section 3, Juvenile Justice Act, role of police in juvenile justice, a comparative study between the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000.
